Jim Beal Jr.: Thought-provoking, fun: Expendables, well, aren't

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Buckle up, music fans, because the midweek calendar shows plenty of choices.

Essential Expendables

The bottom line is there are few, if any, bands that aren't, in the huge scheme of things, expendable. But, in a music world that features far too few original voices, is would be best if the Expendables aren't expendable, at least for a while.

The Expendables, working out of Santa Cruz, Calif., make catchy, clever and fun music but inject some thought-provoking lyrics into the mix now and again. The quartet is touring with a new CD, Prove It (Stoopid Records), which mixes and matches ska, reggae, punk and straight-up rock for a sound that'll get audiences jumping up and down but also will make people think. The band serves up wide mood swings from the romance of Dance Girl Dance to the serious but hard-charging Donkey Show. The Expendables will work White Rabbit Wednesday night with Big B, Tomorrow's Bad Seed and Dirty Penny.

The long-running all-male chorus will serve up a set that is to include classical, pop and Spanish-language tunes as well as some surprises chosen specifically for the San Antonio concert.

Guitar mania

The flipside of glee clubs might well be a guitar-slinging contest. The annual Guitar Wars, sponsored by Alamo Music, is set for this evening at 7 p.m. at Clicks Billiards, 5545 NW Loop 410 at Evers. There are three categories: electric guitar, acoustic guitar and bass. You're likely to hear some wretched excess, but you're also likely to hear some slick picking.

Jazz options

Richie Cole's Alto Madness Orchestra, fronted by sax men Rich Oppenheim and John Magaldi, will stage a concert at 8 Wednesday night at Patty Lou's at Olmos Bharmacy. Admission is $5. Using the well-traveled Cole's charts, the all-star local jazz outfit delivers first-class jazz. There'll be jazz action from the King William Jazz Collective on Thursday at Carmens de la Calle.

Blues options

The Bluebucks will front the San Antonio Blues Society-sponsored jam session Wednesday night at Sam's Burger Joint. On Thursday, the Mark Searcy Band will play Hill Country blues at Tucker's Kozy Korner.

Jim Beal Jr.'s Night Lights covers the area music scene Wednesdays in S.A. Life and Friday in Weekender. He also plays bass in the local band Miss Neesie & the Ear Food Orchestra. Send e-mail to jbeal@express-news.net. Beal is the host of the Third Coast Music Network show from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays on KSYM, 90.1 FM. Check his blog at mySA.com, Keyword: Entertainment.